


Nine Years Out

by skeletony



Category: K-pop, SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alpha Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Asexual Character, Beta Wen Jun Hui | Jun, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, First Meetings, First Time, Fluff, Height Differences, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mentions of Sex, No Smut, Omega Lee Jihoon | Woozi, Omega Xu Ming Hao | The8, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Scent Marking, but not sexually, flustered choi seungcheol, flustered lee jihoon, nothing graphic, supportive choi seungcheol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-24
Updated: 2018-02-24
Packaged: 2019-03-23 05:57:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13781187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skeletony/pseuds/skeletony
Summary: Jihoon figured, once he turned fifteen, three years after the average person was supposed to present, that he was safe and could live his mundane life out as a beta.However, at twenty-one, his life has other plans for him.





	1. Unstuck

**Author's Note:**

> hey allll!!!!! thanks (haha get it sick seventeen reference xd) for clicking on this fic! it's my first in any k-pop fandom and first published! 
> 
> i always was intrigued by abo fics and the universes they build but i got tired of all the uh smut so yeah! this fic will be completely smut free. jihoon is just a clingy baby and seungcheol is ANOTHEr clingy baby and i love them and they support eachother, aka seungcheol tells jihoon abt all the omega stuff he doesnt know about.
> 
> please enjoy! 
> 
> (oh, and also, i personally usually avoid fics that are unfinished until they are done bc fear of them not getting finished BUT i will Not abandon this! i'm already writing chapter two! updates will be either weekly orrr as soon as i get them done!)

This was not how Jihoon had been expecting to spend his vacation. 

He had just wanted to get away from the stress of the city by means of a relaxing trip home to see his parents. And look where that got him.

Actually, that was a good starting point. Looking around. Taking in his surroundings with purpose, assessing. Everything was a bit fuzzy, had been for an hour or two.

He opened his mouth to take a steadying breath but only another shuddering sob came out. _I need to calm down._

So looked around he did. Jihoon finally looked up from his new dress shoes on the cracked pavement and was met with a sight less than intriguing; standing under the streetlamp in the pitch black of night didn’t allow for too big a field of vision. He noted a bench on the grass next to the sidewalk a few meters down, but aside from the unfamiliar suburban neighborhood homes and yards, nothing around him is too outstanding.

He looks back to where he came from, having only walked maybe fifty meters from his parents’ house. The light in the front room was off, even though he had been sitting there with his parents not an hour ago. He exhaled another shaky breath, returning his gaze to his shoes and his hands to cover his face.

\------

“Jihoonie, did you find yourself an omega?” His mother pressed, though he’d only been in the house fifteen minutes.

“ _No_ , mom. I’m as single as ever. Why do you think I’m spending my break here instead of-” Jihoon realized what he was seeing as he watched his mother’s face morph into mock hurt. “Ahem. Ah, no. Anyway. I’m still single”

“You better watch your mouth, Jihoonie, you’re going to get yourself into trouble.” She playfully swatted at his arm as he sat down on the sofa across from his father’s recliner. “Anyway, you smell different. Like you’ve been hanging around an omega a lot.” 

Jihoon seriously considered her words, trying to think of any omegas he’d been around. “Well, Minghao spent the night at my place a couple days ago, I guess. But, ah, he and Jun are a thing.”

He didn’t miss the way his father narrowed his eyes only slightly, but the subject dropped

\------

It was almost like he _hadn’t_ just seen a bench within a few seconds walking distance away, seeing as Lee Jihoon was now sat flat on his ass on the ground leaning against the streetlamp. His arms held his knees close to himself, close enough to where he could bury his face in them and hide himself from the events that led up to this point. Every last one of them. He should have known, he should have-

“Um, hello?”

Jihoon choked on the breath he was taking and wiped his face back and forth against his knees to dry the tear trails he was sporting. He jerked his head to look at the one who had interrupted his thoughts.

“ _What?_ ” Jihoon all but hissed.

The man’s eyes widened slightly as he raised a questioning eyebrow. “You, ah, look like you’re having an, um, a rough night.” The man furiously blinked after having stuttered over his words like that.

Jihoon steadied his breathing in preparation for a conversation with this nobody who bumped into him on the street. “That’s-” He sniffled. “That’s one way to put it.”

The man knelt down to be a little closer to JIhoon, so that he wouldn’t have to speak so loud in the silence of the night. He was already at least ten centimeters taller than Jihoon, let alone having JIhoon sitting of the ground. His squat made JIhoon feel a little better. He was, however not prepared for what he heard next.”

“ _Are you in heat?_ ” Came the nervous whisper.

JIhoon floundered backwards. “Wha-what? How wo-would I know?” he stuttered. 

“Aish, don’t they teach this in schools these days?” The man shook his head, sitting back on his heels. “I’m Seungcheol. Please don’t be scared of me, I want to help you.”

Jihoon frowned and scrunched his eyebrows together. “Wait,” Something dawned on him. “How old do you think I am?”

The man - _Seungcheol_ \- did the aggressive blinking thing again. “Oh!” He, too, staggered backward a few centimeters. “I, uh, I’m really sorry, it, I could smell it from down the street, uh, not in a bad way, it uh, I’m an alpha, so like, it’s really easy to, well, you probably know this, I guess, uh,” It was Seungcheol’s turn for a breath to steady himself. “Sorry. I heard you crying, and saw you curled into this tiny ball on the side of the road. I smelled heat and assumed it was your first. I, uh, was out of line.” He stood up. “Really, I’m sorry for bothering you.” With an exhale, Seungcheol turned to leave and continue his walk.

“Wait,” Again, Jihoon found himself telling the man to wait. He too rose from his comfortable position on the ground. 

They stared at each other for a few seconds, until Jihoon averted Seungcheol’s eyes and tugged at his own sleve.

“It, ah, it is my… my first heat.”

Seungcheol stared blankly back at him, before slightly narrowing his eyes. “How old did you say you were?” He cocked his head to the side.

JIhoon fought down his blush. “Twenty-one years old…” It was a losing battle.

Seungcheol’s jaw lowered seemingly of its own accord. “Hah… what?!” With those two syllables he had expressed exactly how Jihoon has been feeling for the past two hours. “You’re twenty-one and you’re _just now_ starting your cycle?” He seemed flabbergasted, just as Jihoon had been, as he still is.

“I know! It’s, like, _nine years_ late! I’m… I don’t know what to do!” Jihoon could feel the tears coming again, but for some reason, he didn’t feel like he had to hide them. “I’ve been raised as a beta for nine fucking years! You’re supposed to present at twelve right?” He sniffed and rubbed at his wet cheeks. “I waited the two buffer years! I waited a _third_ buffer year! I was fifteen and, and, yeah, my parents were disappointed they hadn’t raised an alpha like them, but we… they moved past it.” Seungcheol placed his hand on the omega’s shoulder, dutifully listening as Jihoon worked through his hysterics. The omega unknowingly leaned into the touch. “I didn’t enroll in any alpha-omega sex ed. classes because I thought I didn’t have to…”

Seungcheol chuckled. “I mean, that part’s justified. You really were a beta at that point.”

Jihoon gave a weak smile. “Yeah and…” It faded. “You could imagine the shock when uh, two hours ago, visiting my parents, I just,” He motioned vaguely to all of himself. “This happened.” Noticing Seungcheol’s slightly confused look, he quickly elaborated. “My-my parents are a bit… traditional. They, I just got kicked out.”

They, again, stood in silence. 

“O-oh, I just realized, I kind of just spilled my life story to you, and I haven’t even said my… name…” Jihoon’s spontaneous realization trailed off.

Seungcheol was still staring blankly at him. He blinked once

Twice

“You…” The gears turning in his head were visible. “You went into heat, at twenty-one, completely inexperienced-” (Jihoon blushed) “-and your parents kicked you out? Do you even have anywhere to stay? That’s heartless! There’s horrible people out here at night, who knows what could have happened to you!” Seungcheol pulled Jihoon into a big bear hug and buried his face into his hair. Jihoon was caught off guard, but wasn’t totally against it. “I’m so, so sorry that happened to you.” Seungcheol let out a tear of his own, lost in Jihoon’s soft, black hair.

They stayed like that for a moment, until Jihoon made the executive decision to return the hug and wrapped his arms around Seungcheol as well.

After a minute or two of comfortable silence, Seungcheol pulled back, still lightly gripping Jihoon by the upper arms. He sniffled, and smiled. “So, what is it?”

Jihoon had to take a moment to collect his thoughts and craft a response. His mind was still reeling from the physical affection from Seungcheol. Something - probably, yes, the literal _heat_ he was in - in the back of his mind was telling him to reach out again, to bury his head in the alpha’s chest and never leave from that position. He mumbled out smartly, “...huh?”

Seungcheol seemed to be reading his mind, and brought Jihoon into another hug. “Your name,”

Jihoon squeezed his eyes shut at the feeling of the alpha’s deep voice vibrating through his chest. He was having a little more trouble finding his words this time around. “Ah, Jihoon,”

“Jihoon-ah,” Seungcheol whispered. “I can smell the heat getting stronger. Do you have somewhere I can take you?”

Jihoon, however, was not paying attention. Seungcheol was not the only one to have noticed the other’s scent, and Jihoon was having a field day with Seungcheol’s. He tentatively breathed in one of the deepest breaths he’s ever taken, reveling in the relief he felt at the smell of the alpha. He tried to get as close as possible to the source of the scent, sagging against Seungcheol, and rubbing his nose over the other’s scent glands.

“Jihoon.” Seungcheol sounded firmer this time, causing Jihoon to momentarily snap out of his haze, at the prospect of being scolded by an alpha. However, when he looked up, Seungcheol was smiling fondly down at him. “Where do you live?” He asked again, voice a little softer, a little lower.

“Um, I live all the way back in the city... I was planning on staying with my parents for my being here…”

Seungcheol ran his fingers through Jihoon’s hair, and the younger let his eyes fall shut as he sighed at the touch. “Okay,” He backed away from Jihoon slightly, so they could make proper eye contact. “Okay. Jihoon, can I take you to my place? Well, I guess it’s not really mine. I’m staying in a hotel here, though I guess that might be better since my smell might not be as overwhelming, they sterilize hotels pretty well-”

For the first time in his life, Jihoon whined. Both he and Seungcheol looked very taken aback at the sound, Jihoon’s ears reddening and Seungcheol stopping his rambling completely.

He let out a breathy laugh in response to the younger’s cute noise, along with a “Yeah?” in hopes of explanation.

Jihoon kicked at nothing on the ground and mumbled out quickly, “It’s just… you smell really good…”

Seungcheol let out a hearty laugh and lightly pinched the omega’s cheek. “I’m sorry, you’re just really cute.” He took the other’s hand in his. “Come on, my car’s just a little ways this way.”

“Carry me?”

“Oh, you wish.”


	2. Different

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they head to the hotel and Jihoon continues learning about his new biology

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo another update! 
> 
> tomorrow is the last day of midwinter break so im hoping i can get another chaper out then if not tonight :> but after break im probably going to stick to the schedule of updating once a week every friday or saturday.
> 
> ^^

Seungcheol actually did end up carrying Jihoon back to his car. It wasn’t really his fault, though, as once he hadn’t been holding onto the omega’s arms, the smaller’s legs seemed to turn to jelly as he fell toward the ground with a yelp. 

“Hey!” The alpha’s eyes widened as he untangled their fingers and reached out once more, catching Jihoon just before he hit the ground. “Y’know, I probably should have thought that through…”

Jihoon sputtered, still freaked out at almost cracking his skull on the pavement. “No, no, it’s not your fault, really.” He may have been a few centimeters away from a concussion just a moment ago, but Jihoon relished in the feeling of being swaddled in the embrace of this caring alpha.

“Well, whoever’s fault it is, you’re now being held to a mandatory piggyback ride.” Despite the silliness of his words, Seungcheol puffed out his chest and plastered a stoic look onto his face. They both laughed.

And so there Jihoon was, suddenly learning all about how satisfying being draped over a big, strong alpha was for his inner omega. Their position allowed for Jihoon’s head to rest on Seungcheol’s shoulder, giving Jihoon the perfect vicinity to rub his nose up and down the alpha’s neck. The smell that entered Jihoon’s nose as a result was much more strong and raw and _Seungcheol._

“Hoonie,” Jihoon’s current mode of transportation piped up after a few minutes, bringing one of the hands from the back of Jihoon’s knee to cup his head. “You’re distracting me.”

“Huh?” The new omega’s mind was clouded again. “What do you mean?”

Seungcheol chuckled and shook his head a little. “Do you know anything about scent marking, Hoon?”

The omega thought very hard, crinkling his eyebrows together and pursing his lips. “I know my parents used to do it to me when I was really young and we had to go to really populated places, so strangers knew I was theirs.” His eyes widened once he realized why Seungcheol asked the question. “O-oh, sorry.”

“No need to apologize,” Seungcheol ruffled his hair. “You’ve just been doing it for the past ten minutes, and, uh, all I can smell is myself all over you.” Seungcheol almost slapped himself at the unintentional innuendo, instead settling for returning his hand to the underside of Jihoon’s knee. “Uh, not like, I didn’t mean it like that, I, uh…”

Jihoon smiled despite the embarasing realization that he’s been scenting this man for ten minutes straight, and bumped his head lightly against Seungcheol’s. “I know, dummy,”

The rest of the walk was completed in silence, with Jihoon drifting in and out of consciousness on Seungcheol’s shoulder. It was pretty late, after all. 

Seungcheol crouched outside the passenger side of his car after opening the door, so Jihoon could slide into the passenger seat, whining as his legs made contact with the cold leather. Seungcheol chuckled, and squeezed Jihoon’s thigh before standing up. “Don’t worry, I’ll just be a sec, I can turn the seat warmers on once I get in.” He closed the door and walked around the car, sliding into the car behind the wheel. Seungcheol reached for the seat warmer button, but Jihoon swatted at his hand, insisting he was fine now. The two put on their seatbelts and drove in comfortable silence.

The silence didn’t last too long, however. After about five minutes of driving, Jihoon let out a small pained groan and began to pull his legs up onto the seat with him, effectively folding in on himself like he had been not too long ago.

“What’s wrong?” Seungcheol asked him immediately upon hearing the noise.

“Oh, it’s really nothing,” Jihoon tride to persuade him not to worry, but the alpha wasn’t having it.

“Hoonie,” Seungcheol leaned over and placed a hand on Jihoon’s closest knee. “Please tell me what’s wrong. I want you to feel as comfortable and happy as possible.”

Jihoon groaned again, this time for a different reason. Who was he to deny this alpha, who only wanted to make him happy? “It’s just, I have a really bad cramp, I don’t know what’s happening,” The omega sniffled.

“Aw, honey, I know it hurts. I wish we could just teleport to my room, and I’d wrap us in a big comforter and tell you everything’s going to be okay, and just how pretty you are…” Seungcheol’s words faded once he realized what he was saying. “Ah, but until then, do you think you could reach behind my seat and grab one of the softer pieces of fabric out of the bag there, baby?” Jihoon blushed at the nickname. “I think I know how to make it a little better for the time being.”

Jihoon uncurled himself just enough to lean into the backseat and find the aforementioned bag. He hissed at the slight pain of having to stretch his body out, especially with the cramps he was feeling. He dug around in the bag with his hand for a moment, and felt around at all the strangely textured fabrics. He pulled out one that felt like a shirt he owned, revealing it to be a large square of flannel. He plopped back into his seat and stretched his arm holding the fabric in the direction of the alpha. 

Seungcheol took the fabric in his hand and brought it to his neck, rubbing every inch of the square over it until it was permeated with his scent. “Here,” He said simply, handing the flannel back to Jihoon, who eagerly snatched it out of his hands.

Jihoon pressed the fabric square to his nose, breathing in deeply and sighing at the instant relief he felt. It wasn’t as good as when he had his nose pressed up against the alpha’s actual neck, but it still made him feel infinitely better. The pain he previously felt seemed to melt away. He let out a long, contented sigh and let his legs slide back down to a normal sitting position.

“Feel any better?” Jihoon nodded. Seungcheol did the same, glancing at the younger thoughtfully. “You know, I don’t know if this is weird to say, but ever since I smelled you I knew you were, y’know, different.” 

Jihoon scrunched his eyebrows together. “Huh?” 

“Oh, I didn’t mean it in a bad way! It’s actually… really nice.” Seungcheol let out a quick breath. “Let me explain.” Jihoon looked up at him, silently urging him to continue. “Well, y’know, normally when there’s an alpha near an omega in heat, they kind of lose control and get, uh, _urges_. But with you, I kind of just feel like a dad."

Jihoon snorted.

“I-in the non-creepiest way possible! I just wanna like, cuddle you, and protect you, and give you lots of kisses. That’s what I was planning on doing once we got to the hotel. I hope you don’t mind.” The omega shook his head and muttered out an _uh-uh_ as if to say / _no, I don’t mind at all._ “And also like, I’m really glad you are how you are, it makes it easier to get help when you’re hurting, instead of having to resort to, like, something that would make anyone uncomfortable upon first meeting.”

“What do you mean?” Jihoon found himself confused yet again.

“Hooooon,” Seungcheol whined, “It’s awkward…” Jihoon stared blankly at him. “I’m talking about sex. I’m glad we didn’t have to have sex to make things better for you, because things would be weird after.”

“Oh,” Jihoon retorted, dumbly. He laughed. “I’m glad, too. No offense or anything, it’s not you at all, but the idea of that as always just irked me…” 

Seungcheol smiled fondly, eyes still on the road, as the omega continued to press the flannel against his face and neck, growing tired yet again. “I get it. Everyone’s different.” 

As Jihoon finally fell into a silent slumber against the car door with the flannel wrapped around his upper body, they continued to drive silently into the night.

\-----

Jihoon awoke to the dinging of elevator doors, and the familiar feeling of his front pressed against the alpha’s back, the other’s hands holding up his knees. 

“Oh, you’re up?” Seungcheol stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the fourth floor. Jihoon yawned in response, and nodded into his shoulder. “Sorry for not waking you up, you just looked so peaceful.” He smiled and placed his hand over the top of Jihoon’s head as he’d done earlier.

The doors slid open and Seungcheol carried a sleepy Jihoon down the hall and into his room. He plopped the omega onto the foot of the bed and sat down next to him. 

Seungcheol slid his hand up and down the smaller man’s back, before scooting closer to him and wrapping the arm around the omega’s waist. “You should probably tell someone you’re here, just so they don’t freak out and think you disappeared or something. First heats usually only last a day or two, so you shouldn’t have to stay here too much longer if you don’t want to.”

Jihoon nodded and reached into his back pocket to grab his phone. Powering it on, he noticed a notification on the screen.

>   
>  Missed call: Mom  
> 

Jihoon pursed his lips and dutifully cleared the notification, unlocking his phone and opening up his messages.

>   
>  Create message: to Minghao <3
>
>>   
>  uhhh y’know that tiny detail about my life where im a beta? turns out it’s a lie and im actually an omega i just presented a couple hours ago. my parents kicked me out (sigh) and i was crying and apparently ovulating or some shit (idk how any of this works) and this nice guy smelled it and came over to help me and i accidentally scented him like a billion times and he carried me to his car and now im at his hotel room (room 417 hotel K) so yeah. im not dead or something. we can talk later. right now i have a strange urge to steal all of his clothes right out of his suitcase
>> 
>> Hao hes really hot and nice pls dont freakk out anyway goodnight ly  
> 

>   
>  New message: from Minghao <3
>
>>   
>  What?!?!  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love comments!!! im open to suggestions and i love hearing your thoughts :^)

**Author's Note:**

> leave comments, thoughts and suggestions are always appreciated!


End file.
